Motorcycle Tour in Sri Lanka

Get ready to explore Sri Lankan landscape on this adventurous motorcycle tour! The route is both on- and off-road (dirt roads), through small villages and paddy fields. This motorbike tour has a varied program: a lot of cultures, vast mountains, tea plantations, and ranging diversity of accommodation and of course the local meals.

Key information

Terrain: a mix of asphalt and off roads
Bike: rental bike (Enduro 250cc or Royal Enfield)
Mileage: 1520 kilometers / 944 miles
Daily rides: 160 - 240 kilometers / 99 - 149 miles
Riding gear: not included, but mandatory: helmet, motorcycle jacket with protection, gloves, a good hard wearing (motorcycle) trousers with protection or separate knee protection and solid high (mountain) boots
Meals: breakfast

Highlights

Starts and ends in Colombo
Visit Temple of Tooth in Kandy and Horton Plains
Ride your bike on 18 hairpin bends amid rice paddy fields
Navigate your bike through tea plantations and enjoy the scenery
Opportunity to see elephants taking a bath in the river
Motorcycle rental, guide, airport transfers
8 nights accommodation

Skill level

Intermediate

Styles

7 riding days

Group size: 2-10 participants

Airport transfer included: Bandaranaike International Airport

Program

Day 1 - Arrival - Colombo / Negombo

Today is the start of your holiday in Sri Lanka. Depending on your flight, you will arrive at the airport of Colombo in the morning or afternoon. The drive to the hotel in the center of Negombo is about 20 minutes. In the late afternoon, you will pick up the motorcycles and meet the driver / mechanic who will accompany you on this trip.

Day 2 - Negombo - Dambulla (180 kilometers / 112 miles)

You soon leave the hustle and bustle of Negombo and follow the main road. However, shortly you will drive down on small roads through the Lion Rock of Sigiriya to Dambulla.

The Sigiriya Rock is one of the seven places in Sri Lanka that is on the World Heritage list. The complex consists of gardens surrounded by walls and canals and, on top of the rock, a citadel. The citadel on top of the rock also served as a palace. Nowadays it is just a ruin.

The rainwater was collected in a few cisterns. Halfway the steep climb of the stairs on the north side of the rock you will reach the mirror wall. Pictured are frescoes of clouds "virgin". Slightly higher the terraces are remnants of the Lion's Gate. The name Sigiriya means "lion rock."

Your hotel with swimming pool is located on the edge of the lively town of Dambulla.

Day 3 - Dambulla - Kandy (160 kilometers / 99 miles)

The day begins with a ride along the large Parakrama Samudra Lake. Further, you drive via various villages towards Knuckles Forest Reserve. You follow an old road and climb and stop several times along the way to enjoy the view.

Before Kandy, you drive another beautiful circle via different tea plantations to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Kandy is known for the Temple of Tooth which you will visit.

It is located in the Royal Palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, where the relic of the tooth of the Buddha is housed. Since ancient times the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that the one who holds the relic holds the governance of the country.

The museum of World Buddhist is situated behind this complex, should definitely not be missed. It gives a nice explanation including many old pictures about how Buddhism was created. Hotel with swimming pool is near the city center and has beautiful views over the valley.

Day 4 - Kandy- Nuwara Eliya (200 kilometers / 124 miles)

From Kandy, you start following the main road to enjoy the busy traffic with its many smelly old buses. As you get further driving away it is also quieter and after having taken 18 hairpin bends you store off and drive again relaxed on small roads, with again a lot of paddy fields around you.

Starting in Victoria Randenigala Rantembe Sanctuary, you climb and soon you are between sprawling tea plantations until you arrive at the hotel just outside of Nuwara Eliya. The lady of the house will prepare a delicious traditional dinner for you.

Day 5 - Nuwara Eliya - Ella (180 kilometers / 112 miles)

You leave Nuwara Eliya to quickly leave the main road and go back to enjoy the many tea plantations with breathtaking views. While climbing, the road gets worse and narrower.

Just over the top, you take a narrow path and drive through a wooded area. A bit later, you pass several small villages where people earn their living while working on the various tea plantations. Then you drive all swinging towards Ella, if the weather is clear we will have some fantastic views.

Ella is a pleasant village with several restaurants. You spend the night right on the edge of the center in the middle of the woods.

Day 6 - Ella - trip around Horton Plains National Park and stay (200 kilometers / 124 miles)

For off-road enthusiasts, it is a beautiful day. The start driving up to the Horton Plains via a small road (about two hours). First, it is good quality asphalt, but the higher you get, the worse the road surface is. Finally, the road largely consists of sand and boulders.

You drive along waterfalls and the view is getting very impressive. You buy a ticket and proceed to the Horton Plains park. You drive over a plateau of around 31 square kilometers at an altitude of 2,130 meters. You fall again via secondary roads and drive back to Ella.

Day 7 - Ella - Udawalawa (240 kilometers / 149 miles)

After breakfast, you head south. First, you drive peacefully through the mountains following a small road until you arrive on the main road. In Lunugamvehera National Park, elephants can cross the road all of a sudden.

Next, you proceed to Yala National Park where you drive over red dirt roads and small sandy trails. If this was not enough adventure, you can take a shortcut off road to Udawala drive.

Your hotel is situated directly opposite the elephant orphanage. Optionally you can visit the elephants taking a bath in the river.

Day 8 - Udawalawa - Negombo (200 kilometers / 124 miles)

You leave the south coast behind you and head towards the North-West, back into the mountains. Soon while climbing you pass tea plantations, the roads get worse and the weather gets colder. If the weather is clear, you see the coastline behind you slowly disappear and through many hairpin curves, you descend again and drive to Negombo.

Day 9 - Negombo - departure (160 kilometers / 99 miles)

Today you will be brought back to the airport in Colombo with a cab for your flight back home.

Motorcycles available for this tour

You will ride on an Enduro 250cc for this trip. If you prefer to ride on a traditional Indian Royal Enfield, then this will cost 120 USD extra. Please indicate this on your booking. Additionally, please note that in Sri Lanka, you need an internationally recognized motorcycle license.

Off-road

Often, you will be riding on unpaved roads or on a path. These are not very hard and achievable without off-road experience. However, when the weather is bad the off-road path can be a bigger challenge.

The ride to the Horton Plains is quite hard, but still feasible depending on the weather conditions. This day tour is planned on a day off, so you don't have to go if you don't want to.

Clothing

The following items are mandatory: helmet, motorcycle jacket with protection, gloves, a good hard wearing (motorcycle) trousers with protection or separate knee protection and solid high (mountain) boots. In the lower areas, it's mostly warm with tropical temperatures, therefore Motor Trails advises a summer motorcycle jacket.

In the mountains it can be cold, especially on the Horton Plains. Therefore, it is advised that you wear warm clothing under your motorcycle gear. Furthermore, a good pair of sunglasses is very important and a helmet with a visor which protects against dust.

Skill level(s) required for this tour:

Intermediate:

can ride for 3-4 hours
average riding experience
little assistance required
comfortable with extreme curves and leans
average experience with unsurfaced roads
steep ascents and descents

What's not included

International flights
Airport taxes and fuel surcharges
Fuel motorcycles
All other meals and drinks
Optional safari in Yala National Park (around 45 USD)
Entry fees national parks and sights
Other optional excursions
Personal expenses
Travel and cancellation insurance
Visa costs (40 USD upon arrival or 35 USD online)

How to get there

Recommended Airports

CMB

Bandaranaike International Airport

2 km

Transfer included

Arrival by airplane

Please book your flight to arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB). Transfer from and to the airport is included.

Airport: Bandaranaike International Airport Airport transfer included: Bandaranaike International Airport No additional charges. You can request this in the next step.

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